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Thursday, September 12, 2024

David Farrar: History repeats but hysteria increases


Did you know that in 2006 the entire Labour Party caucus voted at first reading for a bill that would delete all references to the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi in legislation. They did this as part of a coalition agreement. Sound familiar?

Yet in 2006 you didn’t have the usual suspects declaring it as genocide and such a threat to New Zealand that it is repugnant to even allow the public a say on the issue. You didn’t have editorials demanding the bill not even be debated.

Here’s some of the MPs who voted for the bill in 2006:
  • Helen Clark
  • Phil Goff
  • David Cunliffe
  • Steve Maharey
  • Annette King
  • Chris Carter
  • Marian Hobbs
  • Damien O’Connor
  • Parekura Horomia
  • Nanaia Mahuta
  • Michael Cullen
  • Margaret Wilson
  • Maryan Street
  • David Parker
  • Sue Moroney
  • Darien Fenton
How many of these people are today condemning the current Government for doing exactly what they did in 2006?

David Farrar runs Curia Market Research, a specialist opinion polling and research agency, and the popular Kiwiblog where this article was sourced. He previously worked in the Parliament for eight years, serving two National Party Prime Ministers and three Opposition Leaders.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Nanaia Mahuta!! Blow me away with a feather. Labour surely did lose the plot. I was an active branch member until 2021. I will never vote Labour again.
MC

Anonymous said...

Just political theater, poly-tricks from the uni-party.

Peter said...

And another fine example of why one should never trust a politician, and why we, the public, should have our say on this critical issue.

Anonymous said...

Seymour's Treaty Principles Bill will fail, thereby demonstrating that there are actually no discernible Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi outside the words of the original text.

The Government will then be able to segue straight into implementing the coalition agreement with New Zealand First, namely:
"Conduct a comprehensive review of all legislation (except when it is related to, or substantive to, existing full and final Treaty settlements) that includes 'The Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi" and replace all such references with specific words relating to the relevance and application of the Treaty, or repeal the references. to repeal all references to the Principles in legislation.

This will be technically tricky and time consuming, as the first reading speeches for the 2006 Bill show (follow the link provided by Farrar), but by then the national debate prompted by Seymour's bill will have focused the mind of the country and allowed time for officials to carefully draft the requisite legislation for consideration by the House before the next general election.

So the inevitable failure of Seymour's Bill is, in reality, a win for everybody since it allows Parliament to get on with the business of getting the law back on track, which was, I recall, the slogan the National Party campaigned on.

Anonymous said...

Wow, no I didn't know that. Thanks David. The left have moved to very far left now

Vic Alborn said...

ACT's "Treaty Principles Bill" is already a success. It has initiated the debate that New Zealand needs. Regardless of the outcome, the pressure for a binding referendum is gaining momentum.

Richard said...

David Farrar seems to have a knack for being dishonest. This time just providing about 1/4 of the truth. Yes Labour members voted for the draft legislation, but on the firm understanding there would be some needed discussion on the principles, but there was no way they would pass it into law.
David Farrar - the man to read for 1/4 of the truth.

Anonymous said...

Ah yes Richard, needed discussion. We certainly need that, before deciding to do nothing.